A typical screed type paving machine comprises a paving vehicle with a hopper container at its forward end for receiving asphalt or other paving product from a dump truck. The dump truck is pushed forward along the ground surface to be paved by the paving machine or paver, so that the truck continually discharges its load of paving product into the hopper. A product conveying system on the paver transfers the product from the hopper rearwardly for discharge as a product mat onto the ground surface in front of the screeds of the paver. The screeds smooth, precompact, and level the product mat, to create a smooth, finished road surface. Many such pavers employ a main screed, usually positioned directly beneath the body of the paver itself; and, when paving wider road surfaces, i.e. surfaces wider than the body of the paver, auxiliary screeds which are laterally extendable from the paver are routinely used.
Pavers are also often equipped with rearwardly extending catwalks or walkways which run transversely along the rear of the pavers. A worker will normally stand on this rear walkway and observe the paving operation as the paver moves forward along the road surface, discharging and smoothing its asphalt or other paving product. While the paver proceeds ahead, a worker who is on this walkway can also operate controls at the rear of the paver and continually communicate with the driver of the paver throughout the paving process.
Problems result, however, when the paver's auxiliary screeds are laterally extended, while asphalt or similar material is being laid laterally of the paver. A worker positioned on the rear walkway, which only extends the width of the paver, is limited to movement up to the end of the walkway. He or she cannot fully see or observe the full extent of the lateral paving. Leaning over and down from the end of the walkway does not provide a good view of the work, and leaning past the walkway not only inhibits the efficient use of the rear paver controls, but also presents a danger to the worker. A walkway which is permanently attached to and extends from the existing paver walkway would not be practical and would present a safety hazard as well. It also would create an unnecessary obstruction and an encumbrance during narrow paving surface jobs. To date, attempts to provide some type of adjustable paver walkway have been unsuccessful.